Use of the Law
1 Timothy • Sermon • Submitted
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3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. 8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Stay When Called
Stay When Called
As I urged you
Not a command but an emphatic request
They were in contact
Makes me think of Stravinsky and Rimsky
Stay in Ephesus
Some think he wanted to leave and rejoin Paul
Possibly a nostalgic feel. Wanting to be back with his trusted teacher.
Timothy is struggling with a difficult situation
Stay to handle the issue
There will be difficult situations but we must stay where called
Grow where God has planted you
29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Application: We must listen to God’s call and do it even when difficult
We think today about difficult callings, but this is exactly that kind of thing
Illustration:
Biblical: Isaiah being called to go among his people and essentially curse them
Historical: Calvin being chased out of Geneva and being willing to go back (even though he said he would rather march through hell)
Practical: Caston’s friend dealing with the church split.
It wont be in a Pastoral sense but even in a church to which we are called. We don’t pick our church, God calls us.
The False Teaching
The False Teaching
Hefty list here
We may think many of these things are no longer issues.
We still see them today
Heresy/different teaching
devote to myths
Falseness
Likely had a Gnostic flavor but of Jewish origin
Could have been some of the beginnings of Gnosticism like we see in Colossians
endless genealogies
promote speculations - meaningless debate
Refers to Greek PH,
Difference between thinking between and talking through issues that can be of use or not.
We have evidence of God’s provision we do not need to speculate
An example would be could God make something so big he cannot lift it.
Rather than stewardship - taking care of what God gives us
Vain discussions
9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
The List given in verses 9-10 track with the 10 commandments
We are not under the law in the way the Israelites were before Christ, but it is important to still see them as a guide
Bad use of the Law and Good use of the law
Application: Protect Against False Teaching
Listen to what they have to say and compare it to Scripture
Ask others
Illustration:
Proper Use of the Law
Proper Use of the Law
The law is for the lawless
8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully,
The Message of 1 Timothy and Titus b. The Right Use of the Law
Thus the law’s three functions according to Calvin are punitive (to condemn sinners and drive them to Christ), deterrent (to restrain evildoers) and specially educative (to teach and exhort believers).
Punitive: to condemn sinners and drive them to Christ
Punitive: to condemn sinners and drive them to Christ
Deterrent: Restrain evildoers
Punitive: to condemn sinners and drive them to Christ
Deterrent: Restrain evildoers
Educate: Teach and exhort believers
In this we are protecting against false teaching. Largely this teaching in many churches today will not be able to be classified as disagreements. We need to distinguish between disagreements on a passage and Heresy.
Now we must be cautious of the word heresy
Now we must be cautious of the word heresy
in reference to a doctrine denotes one “that was sufficiently intolerable to destroy the unity of the Christian church. In the early church, heresy did not refer to simply any doctrinal disagreement, but to something that seemed to undercut the very basis for Christian existence” (Brown 1984:2).
For love and Faith
5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
We should seek to live in love and unity within the church
that all believers would be filled with love. Lit., “the goal [of discipline] is love.” Paul’s point is less that all believers be filled with love and more that the discipliner be motivated by love and not punishment. Paul was reminding Timothy that the ultimate goal (to telos [TG5056, ZG5465]) is love of the wayward. Discipline is the means to this end and not the end itself.
Stewardship by faith
We don’t need to worry if he will provide for what he has called us to
William Carey - “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”
Reformed Baptist Minister in the late 17 early 1800s, father of modern missions.
The aim of these charges is to bring back into faith
Discipline, corrective teaching, church discipline should be done in and for love.
According to the Gospel of Glory
According to the Gospel of Glory
10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
In accordance of with the gospel
Test against the scriptures
Fully true
Inerrant
Several teachings today will ignore parts of scripture. If you have to disregard parts to make you teaching work its wrong
Impt of Systematic theology and reading larger portions of scripture
Paul as Apostle was given the inspiration of the spirit to write these Epistles and protect the Church of Christ. It is our job now to take what he has given to us to continue this work each of us is called to at our salvation, to Worship God, Disciple and be discipled to know true doctrine, and share the good news with the lost and lawless.
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